Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesTreatmentDiagnosisSeeking Medical Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Treatment
Diagnosis
Seeking Medical Care
Clammy skin feels moist and cool. A person with clammy skin may alsolook pale.
Exertion or being in the heat can cause sweating, which could lead to clammy skin. While these instances aren’t necessarily concerning, there are situations when clammy skin can be a symptom of various medical conditions and a sign of amedical emergency.
This article will discuss possible causes of clammy skin, what can be done to address it, and how to know if clammy skin signals a serious medical concern.
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Common Causes of Clammy Skin
Clammy skin can have many causes. Some of the conditions associated with clammy skin include:
Overheating/Heat Exhaustion
Clammy skin can occur from normal sweating when a person is hot. Sweating is a way for the body to regulate heat.
A person who is too hot may be experiencing heat exhaustion, which is more serious than simply feeling hot. Symptoms of heat exhaustion can include:
Hyperhidrosis
Hyperhidrosisis excessive sweating, typically of the hands, feet, and/or forehead. The sweating occurs regardless of environmental temperature and can lead to soft, white, or peeling skin.
Low Blood Sugar
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) occurs when the sugar in the bloodstream drops below normal levels. Sweating and clammy hands are potential side effects of low blood sugar.
Anxiety Attack
Ananxiety attackincludes symptoms of shortness of breath, heart palpitations, uncontrollable thoughts, feelings of panic, and clammy hands.
Other Possible Causes of Clammy SkinClammy skin can also be a symptom of other conditions, such as:Severe painLow blood pressureLow blood oxygenSymptoms of withdrawalOveractive thyroidAlcohol overdoseAdrenal cancerMultisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)Acute pancreatitisSepsisShockCardiac or respiratory distress
Other Possible Causes of Clammy Skin
Clammy skin can also be a symptom of other conditions, such as:Severe painLow blood pressureLow blood oxygenSymptoms of withdrawalOveractive thyroidAlcohol overdoseAdrenal cancerMultisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)Acute pancreatitisSepsisShockCardiac or respiratory distress
Clammy skin can also be a symptom of other conditions, such as:
How to Treat Clammy Skin
Addressing clammy skin involves treating the underlying cause of the symptom.
When Clammy Skin Is a Sign of a Medical EmergencyIf you experience clammy skin as a symptom of sepsis, shock, or cardiac distress, seek immediate medical attention.
When Clammy Skin Is a Sign of a Medical Emergency
If you experience clammy skin as a symptom of sepsis, shock, or cardiac distress, seek immediate medical attention.
For heat exhaustion:
Clammy Skin and Cardiac or Respiratory Distress
Seek immediate emergency care for symptoms that suggest cardiac or respiratory distress. Typically, treatment will be given at the hospital. The course of treatment depends on the cause of the distress but may include measures such as medication and/orsurgery.
Shock is a medical emergency. Seek immediate medical attention for symptoms of shock.
If you think someone may be in shock:
Sepsis requires immediate medical attention and is treated in a hospital setting.
Vital signssuch as blood pressure, temperature, breathing rate, and pulse rate will also be monitored.
Sepsis may require a stay in the intensive care unit (ICU).
Hyperhidrosis and Clammy Skin
Treatment options for hyperhidrosismay include:
Are There Tests to Diagnose the Cause of Clammy Skin?
To look for the cause of clammy skin, the healthcare provider will consider the other symptoms and do a physical examination.
They may also run tests including:
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Seek immediate medical attention or call 911 if you or someone near you has cardiac or respiratory distress, shock, or sepsis symptoms.
Other symptoms accompanying clammy skin that may indicate the need for immediate medical care include:
If you aren’t sure if the situation is urgent, seek care to be sure.
Summary
Clammy skin is moist, cool, and often pale. It can signify many conditions, including heat exhaustion, cardiac orrespiratory distress, shock, sepsis, and hyperhidrosis.
Shock, sepsis, and cardiac/respiratory distress are medical emergencies. Call 911 if you or someone near you is experiencing signs of these conditions.
Heat exhaustioncan usually be treated at home unless symptoms are persistent, severe, or escalate to signs of heatstroke. Hyperhidrosis is not typically an emergency and can be discussed with your healthcare provider during a booked appointment.
13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mount Sinai.Skin - clammy.Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.Clammy skin.University of Texas at Austin.Heat exhaustion and heat stroke.Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.Hyperhidrosis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is hypoglycemia?American Heart Association.Low blood pressure - when blood pressure is too low.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Understanding the dangers of alcohol overdose.Cedars-Sinai.Adrenal cancer.Boston Children’s Hospital.What is multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)?The Pancreas Center.Symptoms of pancreatitis.Penn Medicine.Cardiogenic shock.St John Ambulance.Shock.Gyawali B, Ramakrishna K, Dhamoon AS. Sepsis:The evolution in definition, pathophysiology, and management.SAGE Open Med. 2019 Mar 21;7:2050312119835043. doi:10.1177/2050312119835043
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mount Sinai.Skin - clammy.Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.Clammy skin.University of Texas at Austin.Heat exhaustion and heat stroke.Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.Hyperhidrosis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is hypoglycemia?American Heart Association.Low blood pressure - when blood pressure is too low.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Understanding the dangers of alcohol overdose.Cedars-Sinai.Adrenal cancer.Boston Children’s Hospital.What is multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)?The Pancreas Center.Symptoms of pancreatitis.Penn Medicine.Cardiogenic shock.St John Ambulance.Shock.Gyawali B, Ramakrishna K, Dhamoon AS. Sepsis:The evolution in definition, pathophysiology, and management.SAGE Open Med. 2019 Mar 21;7:2050312119835043. doi:10.1177/2050312119835043
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Mount Sinai.Skin - clammy.Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.Clammy skin.University of Texas at Austin.Heat exhaustion and heat stroke.Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.Hyperhidrosis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is hypoglycemia?American Heart Association.Low blood pressure - when blood pressure is too low.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Understanding the dangers of alcohol overdose.Cedars-Sinai.Adrenal cancer.Boston Children’s Hospital.What is multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)?The Pancreas Center.Symptoms of pancreatitis.Penn Medicine.Cardiogenic shock.St John Ambulance.Shock.Gyawali B, Ramakrishna K, Dhamoon AS. Sepsis:The evolution in definition, pathophysiology, and management.SAGE Open Med. 2019 Mar 21;7:2050312119835043. doi:10.1177/2050312119835043
Mount Sinai.Skin - clammy.
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.Clammy skin.
University of Texas at Austin.Heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.Hyperhidrosis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What is hypoglycemia?
American Heart Association.Low blood pressure - when blood pressure is too low.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Understanding the dangers of alcohol overdose.
Cedars-Sinai.Adrenal cancer.
Boston Children’s Hospital.What is multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)?
The Pancreas Center.Symptoms of pancreatitis.
Penn Medicine.Cardiogenic shock.
St John Ambulance.Shock.
Gyawali B, Ramakrishna K, Dhamoon AS. Sepsis:The evolution in definition, pathophysiology, and management.SAGE Open Med. 2019 Mar 21;7:2050312119835043. doi:10.1177/2050312119835043
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